S is for Shoes

I took this picture not even thinking about the 30 pictures in 30 days. We bought Mikey a new dresser from the thrift store a couple of weeks ago and the original brass handles hadn’t been polished since the dresser left production in October of 1961. You don’t always need to polish brass, and there is a strong argument that says tarnished brass looks better than the original, but the gold accents on the dresser (you can see a bit of it on the leg) were crying out for companionship. I can’t wait to tell you how I did it.

My intent was to take pictures of his new dresser with the dirty handles. Instead, I saw his shoes on the ground, left there from when he slid them off his feet on Friday. I think I will forever be asking Mikey to put his shoes away. Nicholas does it without thinking, but Mikey? I could tell him three times in three minutes and his mind will already be on something else, task forgotten. This post is to mark that on September 5, 2010, I was happy Mikey didn’t put away his shoes.

They looked so little.

Mikey is growing by leaps and bounds. Not so much in size, but in personality and maturity. He is more introspective, more eager to grow up, and less willing to cry when he is hurt or upset. With a younger brother always at his side, it’s hard to remember that Mikey is still a child, too; that he doesn’t have it all figured out, despite his insane vocabulary and responsible nature. He still needs snuggles, he still needs guidance and help with tasks that seem so intuitive to me and, most important to remember, he will still occasionally spill his water at the dinner table (Three times. At a restaurant.) and that’s okay. (Most of the time.) As an oldest child myself, I know how it feels to be treated like the little helper while the younger ones, it seems, get off easy. When I was growing up, I vowed that I would never baby my youngest or demand more from my oldest. Fail.

I’m glad Mikey left out his shoes. In failing to put away his clothes, he succeeded in teaching me a valuable lesson.

I never did put away the shoes.

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Oh Jules. I’m an oldest child too and I always felt the same way. Even though I only have one child I know the temptation is irresistible. I catch myself saying “You have to be a big boy”. Good for you for taking a moment to remember what it’s like to be a little person bearing the pressure of being big.

Well that’s what happens when you give birth to genius, you will have to deal with the little things like shoes while he is off solving the next big thing. case in pint–Einstein’s hair, I bet his mom told him 80 times a day to comb it…

Oh dear, you got me with this one. Oldest child who promised herself the same thing and has been failing miserably. Sniff. It’s hard to let them just be kids sometimes, even as it’s hard to watch them grow up.

Another oldest child here too, made the same promises, and haven’t quite failed yet, considering my son is only 11 months old. But I have caught myself warning my 8 year old niece to be a good example to her 6 year old brother. Somehow I couldn’t stop myself as it was happening, but I thought, “She’s 8. She’s a kid. She doesn’t have to be responsible for being a good example.”